Different Stages of Flatline - What is flatline

My experience with flatline symptoms were feeling depressed, lethargic, low energy, and thankfully, very few urges. It was pretty rough for a week or so before I relapsed (around the 30 day mark). But after hearing from others, my symptoms weren't even too severe. I think it depends on how frequently and for how long you've been using porn. I'm in my early 20s, and used 5-7x a week for 3-5 years. I'm currently on my longest streak, and haven't flatlined yet, but that may soon come. I think it's a combination of withdrawal, but also fatigue from fighting this addiction. I can't compare to other addictions, but due to the incredibly easy access of porn for us all, I feel like it's the hardest addiction to fight, which takes it's toll on us. That's why it's so important to not just focus on NOT PMOing, but also to build healthy habits which exclude PMO, if that makes sense. It may even help to take a break from this forum, or check in only once weekly. I find if I'm on here everyday, that I end up just obsessing over it, and thinking about porn even more.

I just can't wait to reach a point again where I'm not in a constant battle...hopefully 90 days for me, but who knows? I think I need to be all in, and willing to make a commitment for life.
Great thread though!! Lots of fantastic knowledge and experience on this site.

 

Yeah for sure, for me it's the bit opposite these days coming up seem to be the hardest. I'm not sure why but It's 100% a roller coaster battle

 

@Fallensoldier1 I only recently learned about PAWS. This was revolutionary news! An explanation for why I continued to experience withdrawal symptoms months after stopping PMO. The bad news is that this can last for 3-5 years after quitting. The good news is that after about five years, it does seem your body and mind can be "fully recovered." I plan to always remain vigilant -- I never want to go back to PMO. But I am hopeful that someday the temptations and urges will grow less and *stay* less.

I hope that is encouraging to you. It sure was to me! https://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/post-acute-withdrawal.htm

 

@Sterkte Radical lifestyle change + fighting the battle one day at a time (sometimes easier, sometimes harder, but never impossible) = long-term freedom from PMO. I was a regular user of PMO as my drug of choice for 25 years. I had to quit my IT career to get away from computers and electronics for two years to help break the power P had over my mind. I have also found that accountability software on all my devices is a big help. It makes it so it feels like everything doesn't depend on me. Knowing that whatever I get into online is going to be inflicted on all my APs is a help to me to not ever get started.

Days 20-60 were the hardest for me. After 60, things got a lot better. I am praying for your success and cheering you on! We are in this fight together.

 

@Tao Jones Thanks for the wise words and encouragement! It's always a great comfort to hear from others and to know that one is not alone in their experiences. I've had enough resets/relapses to know how terrible I will feel if I relapse now, and that helps keep me from slipping. But the more powerful and important motivator is how free, and just CLEAR I feel when I'm porn free.
Days 10-25 had me feeling on top of the world, but it has been challenging since then at times. Hopefully I have another breakthrough soon.
What are urges like for you now?

 

Urges now are few and far between, but they can occasionally hit me really hard and out of nowhere. Daily vigilance is required.

 

When you're in the flatline, will you definitely know that you're in the flatline?

I'm currently 15 days into my streak. Does the flatline come at a certain time? Or is it different for everyone.

 

You will definitely know......
1. U will have zero libido (although you may get morning wood, which has nothing to do will arousal)
2. You will have what’s called anhedonia (not sexual anhedonia, but anhedonia towards life)
3. Some people also get extreme anxiety and paranoia, but not all strangely

The combination of the first two are enough to make you feel worse than you’ve ever felt before, add the third and it’s tough
If you become suicidal seek help from the right places ASAP
It does pass, some quickly, some slowly
My anxiety get less after 90 days
After 120 days roughly I feel better about life, music, art etc interests me again
Sill have ED, but morning wood now lasts a few minutes once I’ve woke up
And sometimes my dick feels a lot fuller, like it’s semi erect, so I know it’s healing

Do not give up

 

I experienced several symptoms mentioned in the that thread before starting NoFap (it led me to it), and I'm practicing the NoFap idea for around 8 months now. I changend my daily routine in almost every sense and I'm feeling most of the common benefits now, with bad days, but more and more good days. Im currently on Day 8 of NoPMO again with very few urges and I don't know how this streak will be.

My question: I kinda fear a flatine way beyond what I've achievend till now, and I don't want to lose my lifestyle so far, even if it's only for an unkown span of time. Is it likely that my flatine will be weak? This is the thought that is holding me back going way beyond ~7-10 days.

 

The key here is you say "I don't want to lose my lifestyle." The truth is that PMO will destroy everything it touches. That is what will cause you to lose your lifestyle, not NoFap. NoFap is definitely the more challenging way to go early on -- it requires real discipline and endurance -- but in the long-run it is the far better choice. Your life will be restored to you as you stop turning to your addiction to cope. So, anything worth doing is going to have a cost associated with it. Enduring the flatline period is one of the costs associated with breaking your PMO addiction. It is up to you whether you are willing to pay that price. My encouragement to you would be to do whatever it takes to break free. I spent 25 years in bondage to this -- never again.

 

Thank you for replying. For my unterstanding in a nutshell: I can grow as a functional addict, but if I want to manifest it permanentely I need a full reboot?

 

There is no way to be free other than to actually be free! Freedom means no PMO.

 

I’ve been going on NoFap, on and off, for about a month. I’m only three days in on a streak, but I’m honestly feeling pretty asexual, except when I think of porn, in which I get maybe a quarter chub. I wasn’t even remotely interested in some of the hot women at my gym today. This seems odd, as I’m only really just starting, and I was hooked on PMO for nine years. I have serious doubts, but am I already flatlining?

 

Probably not already in flatline. Hang in there until about Day 20 and see how you feel. Wishing you the best of luck!

 

Congrats on over 500 days!

 

I guess I never flatlined then, I thought I did when I first started my streak but I had none of those symptoms.

 

extreme anhedonia, depression, numbness and lack of energy
if it hits you, you'll definitely know bro..
and it is tough and ruthless

 

I'm brazilian. this is translated into Google Translate. I'm in my 21st, between the 8-15 days I felt spectacular, motivation, energy, women fixing their eyes on me, after this day 15 I'm not spectacular. I do not miss libido, but I'm tired for no reason, discouraged, I do not know if this is part of the flatline, I'm very prone to fall into a frustrated "attempt" of my mind for a dose of dopamine that will give me masturbation ... I would to know if my energy is going to be "spectacular" again? because I have heard that the tendency is always to improve the greater the number of days of abstinence

 

After flatline, you will start to get back to normal energy levels. You will still find you have much more time and energy available to you, because you will be spending less time and energy on PMO. But the flatline stage is real. Hang in there. If you do not PMO, it gets better.